Waterfall
by jm1681
Summary: Sequel to 'A Clear River'. River continues to grow stronger and even more dangerous when a familiar and most unwelcome visitor finds Serenity. Mal/River. Please review.
1. Chapter 1

_So I started work on this story in February this year, and finished it this week. I was doing good for a few weeks, then found myself completely stuck. I didn't open the file for close to 6 months._

_I had a problem about 15,000 words in and about 9 months later I figured, I'm committed to my idea, I don't want to fix it, I should just push through and finish it. _

_And so, without further ado, this takes place roughly 1 month after the events of 'A Clear River'._

_I do not own Firefly/Serenity or any of its characters._

* * *

River knelt in the middle of an empty room. Shoji covered the walls around her and the room was silent as she sat motionless, her eyes closed, concentrating on her breathing. She leaned forward, her fingers firmly planted into the Tatami beneath her. She wore a tank top, and a loose pair of pants; both tattered and grayed from extensive washing and use. Her hair was tied back, several braided strands within' the single tie.

The room in which she sat was on the uppermost level of Inara's training house on Sihnon. After her ordeal with Niska's son, Mal had promised her a vacation and while she merely mused over the prospect of time away, he was serious about her taking time to herself. Inara arranged for her and River to spend 14 days at the house. While Inara had given her full run of the compound, River spent nearly all of her time in this single room, leaving only to get food.

The calm and absolute isolation offered by this single room granted her unrivaled peace; the thoughts of the numerous companions in training _just_ far enough away that they didn't intrude on her own thoughts. She shifted her weight, bringing her body and legs over her head propping herself into a handstand; her light-weight easily supported through her fingers. She lowered her right foot to the ground, then her left and with a gentle push lifted herself vertical.

She took a deep breath before slowly bending backwards, her fingers once again digging into the mats as she pushed off with her toes bringing her feet over her head and back to the floor behind her. Her body followed and she once again found herself kneeling. Her breathing slowed within seconds and her mind had never been so clear.

A bell rang out signifying it was 900 hours and breakfast was served. River made her way to a piece of Shoji which silently slid open revealing a small and ornate bedroom. The décor was Asian inspired, simple, yet elegant. She changed into one of the several outfits Inara had gotten for her from the house's stock and undid her ponytail before making her way to one of the dining rooms in the lower levels of the compound.

While the companions in training were made-up to look like they had been crafted from porcelain, River happened to meet the criteria naturally. She collected a few pieces of fruit from the serving tables and made way back to her room. On her way, she passed several classrooms and stopped occasionally, her expression dictating her fascination as she observed the various training sessions. She moved on every few minutes until finally coming to the stairs back to her room.

-

Aboard Serenity, Mal had taken on flight responsibilities while River was away and being a bit rusty, wasn't quite as delicate as her which led Serenity to require a few repairs throughout. The crew had been on Persephone for 4 days while Badger and Mal tied up loose ends with some of Badger's clients. Ever since Badger's life and business had been stripped of him, he was significantly humbled. He had always thought a great deal of himself and significantly less of Mal, but when Mal agreed to take him in, he saw there was still a lot to learn about the captain.

They walked through the Eavesdown docks on the way to their next meeting, "I gotta tell ya Mal, I appreciate what you're doin' for me."

"Ain't nothin' Badge. Ya did right by me and I appreciate that."

"Was the right thing ta do."

"I gotta ask, you coverin' fer me, the protein shipment to Whitefall, you find god'er somethin'?" Mal asked.

"Nah, nothin' like that. I just got tired of it is all. Too many people dyin' 'round me."

Mal smiled slightly, "People that can pay?"

"Somethin' like that." Badger replied with a smile.

Mal and Badger came to their final destination; the home of Sir Warrick Harrow. Harrow never cared for Badger but he did find Mal to be an interesting character.

"This ain't gonna be good. I reckon he don't like me much."

"I might actually be on'is good side. Gave him a laugh when I stabbed that hun-dan Wing."

Mal rang a bell at the gate to Harrow's compound and was greeted by none other than Sir Harrow's voice, _"Can I help you?"_

Always on his best behavior when conducting business with such a high-ranking individual, Mal replied, "Good afternoon Sir Harrow, Captain Reynolds here."

"_That you Mal? I haven't heard from you in quite some time."_ Harrow replied.

"Not since I dropped a herd'a cattle for you on Jiangyin. You've been well I trust?"

"_Not much happening these days I'm afraid."_

"I'm sorry ta hear that, would you mind a little company?"

"_Is anyone with you?"_

Mal cringed as he replied, "Badger…"

Harrow fell silent for a moment. A professional man such as himself wouldn't state his blatant distaste for Badger more-or-less directly to him. He sighed before replying, _"Yes please come in, but we must be brief."_

Mal and Badger entered Harrow's home and proceeded to discuss the details of their situation with him. It didn't take much for him to see that Badger was not the man he remembered. To call him broken would have been a dramatic understatement.

"I'm afraid business has been slow these days Mal, I do however have something that might interest you."

"We're open for anything." The captain replied.

"I have a 1-year contract I need to fulfill; simple movement of goods, planet-to-planet; perfectly legal and legitimate. However, due to my status…" Mal finished for him, "…all of your contracts are filled in secret."

Harrow nodded and continued, "Drops are made at a designated location and time; no interaction required. If you'd like to take on the deliveries, which are to occur monthly, the payment would be fairly substantial."

"You'll understand that I have to ask, what type of goods are we moving?" Mal asked.

"Medical supplies and protein shipments to border moons and planets. All of the goods are paid for and marked for delivery. As I said, it's perfectly legal."

Mal couldn't conceal his smile at the prospect of honest and hassle-free work, "Perfectly legal, no interaction, sounds ta me like you have a deal old friend."

"Very good then." Harrow replied contently.

"So it's a monthly job. As in consistent payment?" Badger asked.

"Indeed. Since my trust is in Mal here to complete the work, I'll also see to it that your ship stays in repair this year as well."

Mal's eyes lit up. Having Serenity's maintenance costs taken care of, Kaylee could get the ship in perfect working order, "Oh we most _definitely_ have a deal Sir Harrow." Mal replied.

-

Back at the training house, River's legs were in seemingly impossible bends and her body perched in various states of seemingly impossible balance as she practiced somewhat of a routine. The door to her room opened revealing a servant girl, "There is a wave for you miss."

River relaxed her body, her foot falling to the mat and her hands to her sides, "Sheh-sheh."

River entered her room and sat at a desk to answer the wave, it was Simon, _"Good morning mei-mei!"_

River smiled at the sight of her brother, "Nihao-ma. How is everything?"

"_Well let's see, Mal broke Serenity, Jayne and Zoe are out trading guns, and Mal just called from the home of one Warick Harrow."_

"The cow man?"

Simon laughed slightly, _"The one and only. Apparently the captain secured us a deal that will keep us busy for 12 months as well as fund Serenity's maintenance and repairs."_

River giggled, "Kaylee's already searching for parts isn't she?"

"_Indeed she is. Soon as everyone's back we're going to head out to Sihnon to pick you two up."_

"Oh good." River sighed in relief.

"_Is everything alright?"_

"Oh, everything is fine, I'm just homesick. This time has been good for me. Sleeping hasn't been a problem and filtering out a room full of companions is almost reflexive."

"_That's great to hear."_ Simon replied with a smile.

Simon's head turned away from the screen bringing River to ask, "Simon?"

"_I think Kaylee just came back. I should probably run in case she needs help with anything. We'll get in touch again tonight, I'll see if I can get everyone together. You know we all miss you mei-mei."_

Simon and River exchanged good-byes and she switched off the screen. She sat for a moment saddened at being without her family. She stood and turned to leave the room and as she raised her hand to move the door, it slid slightly without her ever touching it.

Minor shock overtook her as she closed her eyes and took a step back in awe of what had just happened. She opened her eyes and again raised her hand to the door, though this time it failed to move. Her disappointment was written all over her face and she proceeded to physically push the door the rest of the way and walk back into the tatami room. Again she knelt in the center of the room and closed her eyes in concentration.

Did she really just move the door with her mind?

-

On Serenity, Simon had descended to the cargo hold to help Kaylee but when he got to there, he found someone else had entered the ship.

Since he had been spending time by himself aboard Serenity for the past two weeks, he had grown accustomed to keeping a weapon on him. At the sight of the individual who had boarded, he reached behind him, retrieved the gun and held it on him.

The fury in the doctor's eyes was immeasurable, "What the _hell_ are you doing here?"


	2. Chapter 2

"Hello Simon." The Alliance operative peacefully spoke with a smile, his hands non-threateningly at his sides.

"What are you doing here?" Simon asked again, his gun still directed at him intently.

"At ease doctor." Mal shouted from behind the operative.

Badger and the captain both entered Serenity with guns drawn and _now_ the operative raised his hands.

"Seems I recall you tellin' me I'd never see again? You stick around much longer and I fear I'll prove them last words a'yers right."

"Please captain all I need…" Mal cut him off, "…is ta get off my boat. Ain't nothin', no one or no place for you here."

Jayne, Zoe and Kaylee had all come back to Serenity at that moment, all of them carrying large brown paper bags and all of them in shock and disgust of the man before them.

"What in the gorram hell is he doin' here?" Zoe asked through her teeth.

"He was just leavin' Zoe." Mal replied calmly.

Zoe could retain her calm through hell and back, but as she stared down the man responsible for her husband's death, she was no more collected than a rabid dog. She reached into the bag she was carrying and retrieved a large caliber firearm. The bag fell to the floor of the hold and within seconds she placed the barrel under his chin and cocked the hammer.

"You gimme a reason I shouldn't blow your head off." Zoe demanded.

The operative remained surprisingly calm at the fact that she was prepared to decorate Serenity with his gray matter, almost as though he didn't care that she could end him in the blink of an eye, "I have no reason. In fact if I were you I wouldn't have bothered to come over here, I would have simply shot me from where you came in."

Zoe swung her head in disgust as she asked, "What do you want here?"

"I need a ride to Beaumonde. That is all." He replied.

Jayne smiled as he laughed, "Ya hear that everybody? He's just lookin' for a ride. Hey Badger, tea and dumplings for this hun-dan."

"Fairly convenient that you need a ride when the little girl you were looking for, the little girl who could tell me if you're lyin' or not isn't on board." Mal replied.

"You surprise me Mal; you actually let Miss Tam out of your sight?"

"Her name is River!" Simon shouted, his gun still pointed at him.

Mal smiled slightly as he continued for Simon, "…and believe me, she doesn't need as much protecting as you might think."

"Captain, all I'm seeking is a ride."

"Plenty of ships out there, find yerself another one." Mal replied.

"I chose yours because I trust you'll actually deliver me to my destination…"

Mal cut him off by cocking the hammer of his pistol.

"Cap'n…" Kaylee asked from the back of the hold.

Mal's eyes met hers and she motioned for him to come away for a second.

The captain lowered his pistol, "Zoe, if he moves blow his head off, that's an order."

Mal walked to the back of the hold to meet with Kaylee. Knowing her, the captain was not looking forward to this conversation.

"I think you should do this cap'n." Kaylee whispered.

"This ain't the time for warm and fuzzies Kaylee girl. This guy's responsible for killin' the Shepherd, and if it weren't fer him, Wash'd still be alive too…" Kaylee cut him off, "…and the rest of the verse would never know about Miranda if it weren't fer him neither. Believe me cap'n, I know full well what this guy did, but you're always tryin' ta do the right thing. Seems ta me that givin' him a lift is the right thing."

"Right thing ta me would be puttin' a bullet, perhaps several bullets in his brain pan."

"For all we know, Alliance messed with him the same way they messed with River. I think we should do this."

Mal swallowed the lump in his throat. She could justify anything with her kindness and above that, he could never say no to her.

"You get in that engine room and get my girl workin' good and strong. I want to be passin' Sihnon as quick as possible. I'll feel a lot better 'bout havin' him on board once River's back."

Kaylee smiled at having done a good deed, "Sheh-sheh captain."

The mechanic headed up to the engine room and Mal joined Zoe by the operative. He carefully took the gun from his first mate and got within millimeters of the man's face.

"You listen good. I'm gonna go through every last thing you got on you. I see anything I don't like, anything that leads me ta thinkin' that your intentions are less than honest and I swear I will end you."

The operative nodded and Mal continued, "You're to be restrained, and you will remain in the hold until we get to Beaumonde. Dong luh mah?"

"I understand your apprehension and agree to your terms captain."

"Good." Mal kept his eyes trained on the operative as he began to call out orders, "Doc, get in the engine room, help Kaylee get us goin'. Jayne, get the gear stowed and bring me down a pair of cuffs. Zoe, you and I are gonna have a look through his things."

"A word sir?" Zoe asked all but amused.

"Speak your piece." Mal replied, himself displeased at the arrangement.

"I'm not comfortable with this."

"Me neither. I've got Kaylee in the engine room getting us ready to burn hard to Sihnon. Conjure we'll all feel a bit better when little River has words with our friend here."

"Sir…"

Mal finally turned to his first mate. He was angry at the situation and unfortunately he let it loose on her, "Orders been given, conversation's done. Now help me go through his things before we lift off this rock."

Zoe struggled to contain her anger and replied, "Yes sir."

-

On Sihnon, Inara had come to visit River in her room. As was often the case, River granted her permission to enter before she could make herself known, "Qing jin."

Inara smiled from the opposite side of the door before sliding it open. River was packing her things in preparation for their return to Serenity.

"So how did you enjoy your time here?" Inara asked.

"I enjoyed it very much thank you. A girl could get used to fresh fruit every day." River replied with a smile, though Inara saw a bit more to her expression than she was letting on.

"Is everything alright?"

"I…" River collected her thoughts, "…I'm just homesick." River replied with a contrived smile.

"Have you been sleeping alright?"

"Yes. I didn't think I'd make this much progress this quickly. Controlling the voices, it's getting easier."

Inara smiled, "I know we don't talk much, but you do sound much better."

"Thank you. Thank you for this opportunity."

"You're welcome. If you need anything, or if you ever want to talk, you know you can always come to me."

"I know." River replied as she tapped at her temple with a finger.

Inara smiled, "I suppose you do. Good night."

"To you too." River replied.

As Inara reached to close the door she was startled to find River had followed her. River reached to close the door signifying to Inara that she would close it behind her. They shared a smile of understanding and Inara turned to continue down the hall.

River again raised her hand and again concentrated on trying to move the door with her mind.

-

Jayne came into the hold to exercise and couldn't help but notice the operative. Mal had cuffed him through the stairs in the rear of the hold ensuring he would not be going anywhere.

Jayne tried to ignore him as he took a seat at his bench and lifted the bar from its supports. Unfortunately, before he could get a single rep out, he felt the need to confront the operative. He lowered the bar back to its supports, and walked over to him.

The merc knelt before him and addressed him quietly, "You know, before the likes'a you came along, I had a friend who spotted me at that bench. He was a good man, man'a faith and such. He's dead now on account'a you."

Jayne pulled one of his larger knives from a sheath strapped to his calf and held it to the operative's neck; again, he showed no fear.

"Time would have it I'da been happy, you takin' little River off this boat. Unfortunately for you, that time's come and gone. When that girl gets back, you so much as look at her the wrong way and I swear I'll cut your eyes out."

"You love her?" The operative asked.

Jayne smiled, "She's part'a the crew and that's all you need concern yerself with."

Jayne stood and sheathed the knife. He walked past his bench, now disgusted beyond wanting to workout.

As Jayne entered the Galley, he found Zoe stripping some of the new used weapons they had purchased.

"Swear just seein' that hoe-tze duh pigu makes me angry. Why'd the captain agree to let him on anyway?"

"We have Kaylee to thank for that one, she broke him." Zoe replied.

"How's that?" Jayne asked.

"Oh you know, bein' all sensible and sweet like she can be. I can hardly blame him, sayin' no to her ain't exactly the easiest thing in the verse."

"Still wish I could cut on him a little."

"Believe me, I know how you feel." Zoe replied.

Simon walked into the Galley in an obvious mood of sorts.

Zoe took notice and asked, "You alright doc?"

As he gathered a bowl of rice and a pair of chopsticks he replied, "I've been better."

"Operative?" Zoe asked.

"You think?" Simon replied as he went through several cabinets, "That guy hunted my sister like a rutting dog, killed friends of ours trying to get to her and _now_, we're giving him a ride. The whole thing makes so much sense I can hardly understand why we're discussing it."

Kaylee walked through the Galley a few seconds later and everyone gave her a cold stare.

Quickly putting together what was happening, she asked, "Is this how it's gonna be from now on? I walk into a room and get freezed out?"

"Can you really blame us?" Zoe asked.

"None of us knows a thing about that guy. For all we know Alliance used him just like they tried to use River. Maybe he wasn't lucky enough to have someone like Simon who cared enough about him to try and help him…" Simon cut her off, "…and maybe he's always been a sociopath and the Alliance just gave him permission to kill. No what am I saying, I'm sure he's really kind and caring and very sorry for killing two of our friends."

Just as he finished his sentence, Mal came into the Galley as Kaylee replied, clearly hurt by his comment, "Sorry fer bein' me."

Kaylee turned and left the room and Simon immediately saw he had gone too far.

"Mind tellin' me what's going on here?" Mal asked.

"We want that guy off." Jayne replied.

"Duly noted." Mal replied as he retrieved a glass.

"I agree with him sir. None of us can get nothin' done with him here."

"Also duly noted. He's chained to the stairs in the hold I don't think he'll be givin' anyone any trouble."

"It doesn't matter. We all have more than our fair share of reasons to hate him." Simon replied.

"And I understand that, believe me. I have plenty'a scars to prove I ain't the fondest of him neither."

"So why did you agree to take him on?" Simon asked.

"Because helpin' him is what makes us different from the likes'a him. Now, that bein' said, none'a you need ta be nice to him or even see him for the rest of this trip. We should be comin' up on Sihnon in a bit. Soon as River gets back we'll see if she can get a read on him, see what his game is."

"If Kaylee's right and the Alliance has played with him, they might have gone through extra lengths to make sure River can't read him." Simon replied.

"I suppose anything's possible. For now just remember, whether she can read him or not, he's off in less than 2 days. Let's all just try and tolerate him."

Zoe and Jayne nodded weakly while Simon walked towards the engine room.

"We gonna have a problem doc?" Mal asked.

Simon continued to the engine room as he replied, "No problem."


	3. Chapter 3

River hung out the door of Inara's shuttle as it began to lift off, shouting as she waved to the new friends she had made at the house, "Goodbye, thank you all for everything."

A few moments later, she closed the shuttle door and moved approached the co-pilot's seat, "I'm going to miss them."

"I'm sure they'll miss you too." Inara replied, "At least we'll be home soon."

As the shuttle broke atmo River's head tilted to her side. Her face paled bringing Inara to ask with concern, "River?"

"The captain let him on board. Why would he do that?"

"Who? Who did the captain let on board?"

-

Onboard Serenity, Mal made his way to Inara's shuttle entrance. The shuttle docked and a few seconds later Inara and River exited onto the catwalk to a waiting Mal.

"'Nara."

"Captain." Inara replied.

As River stepped onto the catwalk, Mal gave her a tight hug which she half-heartedly returned. He could tell she already knew.

As he pulled away from her, she addressed him, "I understand why you've done this. I don't approve of it, but I understand."

Mal smiled slightly, "I'm glad fer that as I'd really rather not have ya mad at me River darlin'. I _would_ like you to try and read him."

"I am." She replied.

"What do you mean, like you're readin' him right now?"

"Yes. You believe they altered him as they altered me."

"That's right. Any idea what he's up to?"

As Mal and River descended the catwalk, Inara headed to the galley and stopped for a moment realizing how rude she was for not saying goodbye to River after the time they had spent together.

"Don't worry about it." River said aloud to quell Inara's thoughts and the companion smiled at what River had done.

As they reached the floor of the hold, River stood motionless as she stared him down. Mal knew her mind would be wide open and decided to try and continue their conversation privately.

"_You can hear me right?"_ Mal asked in his thoughts.

"_Yes."_ River replied in his.

"_If you don't want to do this, no one's forcin' you."_

"_No, it should be done, if for no other reason than for Kaylee. I imagine everyone is quite upset with her for her part in this."_

"_And you'd be right. I just don't want to see you get even more upset."_

River turned to Mal and smiled slightly, _"I'll be fine captain."_

He returned the smile as he replied this last time in her thoughts; _"I'll be right here bao-bei."_

River finally broke down and gave the captain the tight hug she knew would make everything ok between them. She turned back to face the operative and as she walked towards him, Mal observed her with a smile. She was exactly as she appeared the last time he had seen her 14 days ago, wearing a simple one-piece dress, long let-down curly hair. What the captain failed to remember was that she always knew exactly what he was thinking. Her focus shifting sporadically as she read Mal as he watched her; this was something new.

She reined in her focus as she got closer still to the man who had hunted her so viciously. Within two feet of him, she crossed her legs and fluidly fell into an Indian-style seated position. She peered deep into his eyes, her powers of intimidation superhuman as always. For the first time since he had boarded Serenity, the man who had killed so many in his pursuit of the little girl before him, and constantly under the threat of a violent death, finally gave evidence of fear.

"Do you know who I am?" River asked.

"I do. To have you this close to me, I'm sure I don't have to explain to you the irony."

"No, you don't."

"What can I do for you little girl?"

In an unexpected display, River's right hand flew across his face bringing Mal to flinch across the room.

She grabbed his jaw bringing his focus back on her, "My name is River."

He tried to retain his composure as he replied, "Yes of course. What can I do for you River?"

Her eyes narrowed as she reached out to Mal, again speaking with him via their thoughts; _"He is conditioned, but not like you __thought."_

"_How's that?"_

"_The slaughter on Haven, he doesn't remember it. The Alliance has done something to block certain memories so that he can't remember what he's done."_

"_Can you do anything about that?"_

River smiled to herself and calmly asked, "What's your name?"

"Why do you ask?" the operative replied.

"Tried to take me from my family. Tried to take her back to the people that hurt her. Do you even know what they did to this girl?"

"It was not my concern."

River stood and turned her back to him. She pulled her long hair to the side, revealing the scarring left by the multiple surgeries the Alliance had performed on her.

As he saw what was done to her, he turned away and she turned back to face him, "How nice for you to not be concerned with your mission or the means by which you complete it."

She knelt and again grabbed his jaw keeping his eyes on her and again asked, this time with less patience, "What is your name?"

"I have no name."

River chuckled condescendingly, "Of course you do. You weren't born in a lab; you weren't even born on a border planet. You were born to a loving mother who wanted her son to succeed as his father succeeded, so much so that she named you for him."

River laid out buried specifics of the operative's life, pressing all the right buttons, breaking him down until his eyes had completely glassed over.

Finally, he cut her off and asked, "My mother, where is she?"

"Don't you remember your first assignment? Then again I suppose you wouldn't remember. Can't concern yourself with your mission now could you?"

His tears finally broke free and began to slide down his cheeks as River continued, "You killed your mother seven years ago. No operative of the parliament could have ties to the real world."

Finally he asked, "What is my name?"

She leaned over to him, her lips not more than an inch from his ear as she whispered, "Daniel."

In the course of a heartbeat, all of the blocked memories, all of the assassinations, all of the murder and torture, everything he had ever done coursed through him.

River stood as the man before her sat every bit as broken as she had once been. Crying an endless stream of tears and shivering as he rocked back and forth, muttering incoherently to himself.

She turned and walked back over to Mal, Daniel occasionally shrieking in mental anguish.

"What's going on?" the captain asked.

"Everything the Alliance pushed back; he's remembering it, all of it…" River turned back to observe him as she completed her thought, "…even killing his own mother."

She turned back to Mal, "He might be ok; he might not. Either way, the situation should be explained to everyone."

"Probably not gonna help his case."

"No, but it will help Kaylee's." River replied as she ascended the stairs to the Galley.

Mal remained in the hold for a few seconds watching the man who was responsible for taking so much for him, not entirely unsatisfied at seeing him in obvious torment.

In the Galley, River was exchanging hugs with everyone. They all missed the little reader, though Kaylee was missing from the group.

"So you get any'a that companion training while you were out there?" Jayne asked with a devilish smile.

River smiled at Jayne like the little girl who was getting picked on by the big kid next door that really liked her, "A little, thank you."

"What else mei-mei?" Simon asked.

Immediately the thought of what had happened the day before, the thought of her moving the door with her mind came to her. She squashed it and innocently replied with another question to which she already knew the answer, "Where is Kaylee?"

Everyone seemed to drop their head or look away and River called out for her, "Kaylee!"

Kaylee came into the Galley a few moments later, clearly depressed, but still she gave River a hug.

"Hey you. How are you?" Kaylee asked quietly.

"Read him." River replied ensuring she had regained everyone's attention before continuing, "Alliance played with him too."

"What were you able to see?" Simon asked.

"All of it."

"What did they give him? Combat training?" Zoe asked.

"Memory recognition and filtering."

"What does that mean?" Zoe asked.

Simon knew enough about what had been done to his sister to know that the people who had programmed her could program nearly anything in anyone. On this rare moment, he replied for his sister with minor hesitation as to allow her to correct him should he need correcting, "They put a filter in his brain for certain memories?"

"Correct." River replied with a smile, "All of the memories that can damage a soldier, memories that might bring back recurring trauma, those memories are filtered."

"So he don't remember killin' anyone?" Jayne asked.

"He didn't."

"_Didn't?_" Simon asked.

"They put words in him like they put words in me. All it took was one little word and he is remembering four years worth of massacre and genocide. Once he regains some semblance of sanity, I'm sure he will have something to say to all of us…" She paused for a moment, "…just like all of you have something to say to Kaylee."

Their heads fell in collective shame and Kaylee would have been blind not to see.

Being Kaylee, she absolved everyone with her smile, "Ah, no one needs to say nothin', just stop freezin' me out…" She raised her hand to Simon, "…and you Simon Tam…"

She curled her finger instructing him to follow her to the engine room. As Simon followed her, Kaylee shouted from the hall, "Thanks River, good to have you back!"

River turned back to Jayne and Zoe who sat a bit more relaxed. Mal emerged from the door Kaylee and Simon had just passed through to find the rest of his crew lounging about the Galley.

He quickly resumed captain's duties, "My goodness, what a lazy crew. I got my mechanic and my doctor ruttin' in my engine room and the three'a you loiterin' in my kitchen."

Zoe quickly picked up a gun and replied, "I'm cleaning and fixin' guns sir."

Jayne scrambled to pick up a firearm and proceed to work on it as well, clearing his throat before he replied, "Me too cap'n. Looks like River here is the only lazy one."

River's eyes narrowed and her mouth fell open in awe of Jayne's comment and Mal promptly took advantage, "I have to say River girl, I am very disappointed."

She finally had enough of this ruse and straightened out her face. She circled the table to pass Mal and Jayne, being sure to slap Jayne across the back of his head as she passed him. As she continued to the bridge, Jayne smile slightly, "I missed her."

Zoe and Mal shared a laugh at his comment and the captain ventured to the bridge to see what River was up to. As he came onto the bridge, River was hard at work reorganizing and resetting certain systems to suit her style of flying.

As usual, she addressed him without him alerting her of his presence, "What have you done with my ship captain?"

"_YOUR_ ship?" Mal asked.

"My ship indeed. First Simon tells me you've broken her, and look at all this correction you've applied to the starboard engine. I can hardly believe you made it to Sihnon to retrieve us."

River began to trail off and Mal simply stood there wearing a smile.

She finally noticed she wasn't getting a rise out of him and in an odd turn of events, she asked a question, "What?"

Mal stepped closer to her and gently wrapped his arms around her, "I did miss you darlin'."

River's heart melted as the captain held her, "Missed you too Mal."

Mal pulled away a few seconds later and she answered a question he never got to ask, "We'll be coming up on Beaumonde in 20 hours."

"Good, think the sooner we have him gone the better we'll all feel." Mal replied as he turned to head back to the Galley.

"Mal?" River called to him as he got to the door.

"Yes ma'am?"

"I'd like your permission to sit with him. To see if there is anything about myself that I can learn from him."

"What do you need my permission for, ship's yours remember?" Mal replied with a smile.

River returned the smile as she set Serenity to autopilot.

* * *

_More to come, it's just going to take me a few days to get everything uploaded ;)_


	4. Chapter 4

River descended from the bridge to common area and finally to the hold. Daniel had calmed slightly, though was still in apparent distress. It took him a few seconds to even realize River was walking toward him.

Again she sat before him, though at a little greater distance than before. He stared into her eyes feeling guilty as ever for what he had done in trying to retrieve her.

She read through the guilt and replied accordingly, "Now do you see how dangerous they are?"

"My mother told me my father worked for them. All I wanted was to follow in his footsteps."

"I know."

He smiled slightly through his tears, "I imagine you do. Why have you come?"

"What can you tell me about me?"

"Miss Tam, if I knew anything I'm sure you would have already found it by now. Not concerning myself with my mission, and not being privy to its details are two separate things. I am aware that you are indeed psychic, but that is all. If you are looking to know more about what they've done to you, I'm afraid I cannot help you."

River replied disappointed, "I see."

As she stood, Zoe and Jayne slowly came into the hold, both holding a gun by their sides. They approached River and Daniel and at seeing them, his head fell in shame.

"Somethin' wrong?" Zoe asked harshly.

He hesitated as he struggled to collect his thoughts, "I am truly sorry."

"Sorry fer what?" Jayne asked.

"For your friends, for what I have done. I did not know."

Zoe involuntarily squeezed the grip of the gun she was holding. River turned to face her and put herself between them.

"It won't bring Hoban back."

Zoe loosened her grip slightly, "Anything happens to any of us 'cause of him, it's going to be on your head you know."

"I do." River replied.

Zoe turned and left the hold as Jayne approached River.

She quickly read him and replied, "No you can't hit him."

Disappointed, Jayne asked, "Why not?"

Jayne grumbled as River turned him around and proceeded to walk him out of the hold.

-

Later that day, River sat in her bunk with her eyes closed in an extreme state of concentration. She was struggling to find the right process, the right equation, the right formula to make the telekinetic accident she had manifested on Sihnon happen once again.

Her eyes cracked open and she exhaled. She slapped her knees in frustration, "Ching wah tsao duh liao mong!"

"River?" Simon called from outside her bunk.

"Qing jin."

As she replied, a loud crash emanated from the hall and her brother screamed as though the floor had fallen out from under him. She sprang to her feet to see what had happened and as she reached to slide the door open, it flew to the side with a thud. What she had been trying to achieve had come to her all at once.

Across from her bunk, the door to Simon's old bunk had a Simon-sized hole ripped through it and her brother lay on the floor holding his head. She ran to the door only to have it slip to the side with barely a thought.

She knelt next to her brother, lifting him into an upright position and asked in a panic, unsure of just how hard she'd hit him, "Are you alright?"

He had taken a good hit, but he was awake, "I think so. What was that, were we hit?"

River wore a sheepish look as she replied, "Not quite."

-

In the Galley, Simon and Mal sat opposite River as she explained what happened.

"When Simon came to see me I was trying to figure out how I'd done it on Sihnon in the first place. I was angry because I couldn't figure it out, then when he called to me I must have let it all out in an instant."

"Apparently." Simon replied as he tended to his head once again.

"I'm sorry." River replied sadly.

"I'm sure you didn't mean no harm River. So…" Mal searched for the right words, "…what now? You can move anything just by thinkin' about it?"

"I figured it out, the mental process required to achieve the same result."

"So you could, I don't know, close the doors to the Galley if you wanted to?"

Without a word or a blink from River, the doors to the Galley slammed shut leaving an ominous quiet in the room.

"OK, that was truly creepy." Mal replied of the display.

River carefully reopened the doors to the Galley and Simon finally spoke his thoughts, "Alright, this talent you've discovered, clearly it could have its uses."

"I'd imagine so." Mal replied.

River smiled at the prospect of once again being helpful, "I could disarm people who would threaten us, turn their weapons on them. In time, who knows what I might be able to do with this."

While Mal was happy at having this new asset available to him, something was screaming at him from the back of his mind and as always River picked up on it, "You think we should keep this just between us."

"Just fer now. I think everyone is just finally gettin' used to the things you can do and I'm thinkin' it'd be wise to not add more pieces to the puzzle just yet."

"I think that's a good idea." Simon replied.

"Very well then." River replied with a smile.

The three of them stood from the table and River came to Simon to give him a gentle hug, "I'm sorry about your head."

Simon smiled, "I'll be fine mei-mei, don't worry about it."

As Simon stepped away, Mal stepped to her wearing a wide smile, "You never cease to amaze me, you know that?"

"I do." River replied happily.

-

Roughly 17 hours later, Serenity docked on Beaumonde. While Mal held his gun on Daniel who now seemed all-but normal, River undid his cuffs and backed away from him. Finally they exchanged words while Mal kept him lined up with the barrel of the gun.

"Thank you for the ride…" He turned to River, "…and thank you for opening my eyes."

River nodded slightly while Mal replied aloud for the both of them, "You're welcome, now get off my boat."

Daniel smiled as he walked off Serenity and into the bustle of Beaumonde's dock.

"Think we'll see him again?" Mal asked.

"Hard to say." River replied.

She turned to head back to the bridge and again Mal got lost watching her walk away. He regained his composure and called to her, "River?"

She continued on her way as she replied, "Setting the course to Whitefall. We'll lift off as soon as we're done re-fuelling."

As she reached the door to the common area she turned and gave the captain a wink.

Mal closed the bay doors and headed to the passenger compartment towards Badger's bunk.

Since Mal had taken him on board, Badger kept a low profile, appearing every now and again to prepare meals as per his and Mal's agreement, and then promptly retreating back to his bunk.

Mal knocked and Badger could be heard getting to his feet to open the door.

"Hey Mal, somethin' you need?" Badger asked.

"Nah, just checkin' in. What's on the menu tonight?"

"I'm thinkin' pork maybe."

"Sounds good. How're you doing otherwise?"

"Think I got my strength back. Should probably be gettin' outta your hair in a few days."

"You know I could get used to five star cuisine Badge."

Badger smiled, "I know, but I'm not much for serving. I appreciate what you and yours've done for me Mal, but this was never permanent."

Mal nodded in agreement, "Oh I know that. I'm just sayin' there's no rush. You take the time if you need to."

"Sheh-sheh captain."

Mal closed the door to his bunk and walked off towards the Galley. Zoe was putting the finishing touches on the re-assembly of one of their new guns.

"Hey Zo. Feelin' better I take it havin' that guy gone?"

She clearly was feeling better, wearing a wide smile as she replied, "You could say that. That and I'm really liking some of these new toys we got."

Mal picked up the weapon she had just finished with and fiddled with it a bit, "They are quite nice. Always nice havin' guns that don't bind."

"Yes sir." Zoe replied.

As Mal stood to make his way to the bridge he could feel Serenity lift off Beaumonde.

As he came onto the bridge, River gave her report, "We should reach Whitefall in approximately 15 hours. We'll be arriving in the middle of both their and our night cycle."

"Wonderful." Mal replied.

As Mal made his way to the door back to the galley, River asked, "Captain?"

"Yes sweetheart?"

River hesitated before replying, "It's nothing, don't worry about it."

"You sure?" Mal asked.

"Yes, I'm fine." She replied with a smile.


	5. Chapter 5

Serenity landed on Whitefall during the night cycle as River had predicted. Mal and Zoe were in the hold prepping the mule, and as per her usual, Zoe wasted no time joking at the captain's expense.

"So, Whitefall huh?"

Mal saw through her comment and replied accordingly, "Yes Whitefall."

"Seems I remember you not having the best of luck on this planet sir."

"You know, I think you might be right. Lucky fer me, we're on the opposite end'a the rock. Patience shouldn't be anywhere near these parts and I swear, I see a single Reaver, we're _dumpin'_ the cargo and gettin' gone."

"Sounds like a good plan sir."

"Sheh-Sheh." Mal replied with a smile.

"Think it's gonna go that way?"

Mal let his guard down; "I hope so. I really don't feel like getting shot or stabbed today."

River joined them in the hold a few seconds later.

"What're you doin' up so late River?" Zoe asked.

"Just wanted to wish you two luck and to make sure the captain is armed well enough so he doesn't return to us shot or stabbed."

"I tell you, it's nice havin' a couple'a gorgeous women around to remind me how often I get hurt."

"Anytime captain." River replied with a smile.

Mal and Zoe boarded the mule and Mal shouted down to River, "We shouldn't be much more than a half-hour. You don't see us long after that, you come and you rescue us."

River laughed to herself, honored to have the captain ask her to rescue him, "Yes captain."

She took a seat in the back of the hold, the only member of the crew still awake on the ship.

As planned, Mal and Zoe returned 25 minutes later with no complications. River was in the same place they had left her, and she jumped to her feet as the mule pulled into the hold.

She approached them and asked, "Did everything go alright?"

Mal seemed distraught as ever as he replied, "Yeah, now get us the hell outta here!"

As he ran past her, she asked a much more relaxed Zoe, "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, captain's just nervous because things went smoothly."

"Oh." River replied in a rare state of confusion.

"Still, I'd get up there and get us off world; he's liable to lose his mind we stick around any longer."

"Right." River turned but stopped in her tracks. Zoe had something on her mind and River read it clear as day.

"It's alright." River replied, without turning around.

"River, I…" As she searched for words, River turned and tried to fix things between them, "Every time I sit at his seat I remember the man whose place I attempt to fill. I don't blame you for being angry with me; it only shows how much Hoban meant to you. Had Mal been taken from me, and I'd been in your place, I'm not sure you or anyone would have been able to stop me from killing him."

Zoe smiled oddly as River finished her thought; "No apology is necessary."

River continued to the common area and Zoe asked, "Mal, River?"

She halted abruptly and replied, "Shuh-muh?"

"You said if he took Mal from you. That an accident?"

River lost her focus as what she said replayed in her mind.

Zoe struggled to contain her smile as she approached River, "Freudian slip?"

"I'm…" River was at a loss, "I must have meant Simon. I don't know why I…"

"Good night River." Zoe said with a smile.

As River stood contemplating her slip-up Mal shouted from the galley, "Gorrammit River get us off this rock!"

-

The next morning Mal came into the galley to find Inara waiting for him.

"Nihao ma."

Inara smiled at Mal's polite greeting, "Good morning to you too captain."

"Need me for something?" The captain asked.

"I understand we're returning to Persephone?"

"That's right, looking to set-up with a client?"

Inara was taken back by the lack of a remark on Mal's part. Given the opportunity, he never shied away from rudely commenting on her profession.

"Yes, actually. Do you know when we'll be arriving?"

River entered the galley and answered for Mal as she walked through to the bridge, "1500 hours. Good morning Inara."

As she walked by him, Mal couldn't help but notice River's choice of clothes. Before she had left to stay on Sihnon with Inara, it seemed that everyday she felt more comfortable, she inadvertently exposed more skin and now that she was back, the trend seemed to continue.

Inara smiled, "Good morning River."

Inara turned to face Mal as he asked, "Anything else?"

Still unsettled as to how easy that was, Inara replied, "No, thank you."

Inara headed out of the galley while Simon and Kaylee came in.

Mal turned to face them, "Ah, good morning you two."

"You're in a good mood cap'n." Kaylee replied with a smile.

"Supposin' I am. Things went smooth with last night's delivery. River's got us en-route to Persephone where money and engine parts await. How about you Kaylee girl, you excited about this deal with Harrow?" Mal asked.

"You mean to ask if I'm excited about havin' ta slave over the engine for the next 12 months?"

"It's all she's been talking about for the past 2 days. She's ecstatic; my head feels like it's going to explode." Simon replied.

Ignoring Simon completely, Kaylee finished her thought, "Just wait, while we're on Persephone I'm gonna get some spare parts and a whole mess'a new things. Have this bird flyin' like a streamlined butterfly in no time."

"Sounds good to me. Seems I remember havin' ta fix Serenity all by my lonesome once and if I remember correctly, I got shot then too." Mal replied.

Simon smiled slightly, "Yes you did, good wound too."

Mal's expression flattened, "Well I'm glad I gave you somethin' fun to work on."

Simon and Kaylee shared a laugh at Mal's expense and the captain proceeded to the bridge to get a report from River.

As he came onto the bridge, Serenity's pilot was oddly silent.

"River?" Mal asked.

She turned in place to face him and asked, "Yes captain?"

"Report?"

She shook her head as she collected her thoughts and replied, "Oh, I'm sorry. We'll reach Persephone in approximately 6 hours."

"So you were serious about that 1500 hour prediction?"

"Of course."

Mal's eyes widened in surprise, "Seems awfully quick."

"Since Kaylee has been working on the engine, I'm finding speed in new places. When she's through with her updates and repairs, we'll be the inhabitants of a very fast ship."

Mal smiled, "Great. Now we can get paid quicker, or I can get somewhere to get shot quicker."

River smiled slightly and Mal saw she was troubled, "You feelin' OK darlin?"

She was oddly out of it as she replied; "I think so. I feel…strange."

Mal stepped over to her and put his hand on her forehead.

River smiled at what he had done as she replied, "No, fever captain."

"Why don't you go see your brother, let him look you over. I'll take the controls."

River gave him her best are-you-serious face and the captain replied accordingly, "I won't touch anything I promise."


	6. Chapter 6

In the engine room, Kaylee was teaching Simon about the idiosyncrasies of pulse drive discharge and port jet controls. River knocked at the door to the engine room and Simon immediately turned his attention from Kaylee's lesson.

Simon reached over and gave a shocked River a tight hug, "Oh mei-mei thank heavens…"

Kaylee gave him quite the look and he tried to save himself, "…that you're alright, I was worried about you."

"Mmm-hmm." Kaylee replied, less than amused.

"I haven't been feeling well and the captain asked that you check me over." River replied.

Simon instantly switched to concerned-brother-mode, his playful smile vanishing as he replied, "Oh, alright lets get you to the infirmary."

In the infirmary, River laid calmly on the table. It amazed Simon how much better she had gotten about being in that room and on that table. She still had her moments, but nothing that ever came to vocal fruition.

Simon proceeded to delicately check her over finding nothing odd of sorts.

"Any pains or aches?" He asked as he sat on his stool.

"I feel like a knot in my stomach has finally straightened itself out."

"A knot in your stomach?"

"I feel…" She looked for the right word to describe how she felt, "…complete."

"Complete?"

"Like something's been missing and now it's not anymore."

"Huh…"

Simon brought up a mess of thoughts ranging from viral infections to stomach disease, images of such illnesses flashing through his mind, anything to block what he was really thinking from his sister.

"Oh god, please, think of something else!" River shouted as she dry heaved.

Simon focused on thinking about her, about them as children, again anything to keep his real thoughts at bay.

River grinned at reading Simon's memories of her before she was broken and he couldn't help but smile at seeing his sister happy.

"I think you just need a little rest mei-mei. Go to your room and I'll make sure Mal knows you won't be back for a while."

"Sheh-sheh."

River stood from the table and quickly left the infirmary.

Simon stood in the infirmary hoping River would be unable to hear his thoughts. Unfortunately for Simon, he underestimated her as his diagnosis came to him; River was in love.

She again lost her focus as she walked to her bunk. Was she really in love? But with who, and how?"

-

Simon walked through crew's quarters, stopping to knock at the entrance to the bridge.

Mal turned, though he knew Simon was the only member of the crew who knocked, "You see to yer sister?"

"Uh, yes. Why did you think she needed to see me?"

"Said she was feeling strange. I figured she hasn't seen you in a few days and you haven't been able to keep your usually close eye on'er."

Simon nodded and Mal continued, "So is she alright?"

"I gave her a basic check up, she seems fine. BP, heart rate, everything seems normal for her. She said she's not experiencing pain of any sort, but she did say she feels complete."

"Complete?"

"Like something's been missing and now it's not." Simon replied.

Mal turned back to the controls and replied, "Could it be she's puttin' so much effort into controlling her emotions that mayhaps that part of her brain is fixing itself?"

While Simon was impressed by Mal's reasoning, he had to correct the captain, "I suppose it _is_ possible but it seems unlikely. Without access to a neuro-imager I'd have no way to check. Actually, I think it's simpler than that."

"What do you think it is then?"

Simon smiled and shrugged, "I think she's in love."

Mal let go of the wheel and spun to face Simon, "How in the hell did you come up with that conclusion?"

"I just put the pieces together. She's an 18-year old girl, and now that her condition seems to have stabilized, she's going to start to behave more like an 18-year old girl. To be honest, I was wondering when this day might come."

Mal realized in that moment that he had been looking at her differently since she'd returned. Perhaps she was picking up on it. He could only think of what would happen if Simon knew; how would he react?

He played it cool as he asked, "Any idea who she might be in love _with_?"

Simon laughed slightly as he took a seat on the opposite end of the bridge, "That should be the easy part. She rarely sets foot outside the ship which means its one of seven people. Assuming she hasn't taken an interest in the fairer sex, Inara, and Zoe are out. Kaylee is my fiancé and I'm her brother, I think that safely counts us out. Badger has only been here for 16 days and she's been away for 14 of them. There's Jayne, but he's more of the bully next door…"

Mal sat motionless and in fear of what Simon might say next, "…then there's you."

He swallowed the lump in his throat and Simon continued, "That wouldn't be all that surprising. You're the closest to her on this ship aside from me."

Mal chose his words carefully, wearing a smile and playing the situation as coy as possible, "How might you feel about that, yer sister bein' in love with me?"

"I know you care about her a great deal, you probably love her yourself in one way or another. How do I feel about the two of you together…"

"Whoa there doctor, I ain't askin' permission ta bed yer sister. More like lookin' to find out what you really think'a me." Mal replied with a smile.

"If you wanted to know that you could just ask." Simon replied as he stood.

"Alright then, what _do_ you think of the man who's assaulted you countless times?"

Simon smiled, "You've kept my sister and I safe from the Alliance for well over a year now. Even when I've doubted you, you've always done everything you can to keep us safe. Whether you've hit me or I've hit you, I think we both pushed each other to some degree. We don't always see eye-to-eye, but I believe you to be a good man."

"Thank you." Mal replied with a sincere smile.

"And _on_ that note, remember you're a good deal older than River."

"Like I said, I ain't askin' permission ta bed'er doc." Mal replied with a smile.

"Good." Simon replied as he walked off the bridge.

Mal turned back to the controls and took a deep breath.

5 hours later, River had returned to Serenity's controls and set the ship down on Persephone. After setting the systems to hibernate while they refueled, she stood to head to the galley when a tone rang out from the console bringing her to return to her seat. She tapped a few switches and Daniel's face appeared on the monitor in front of her.

"_Hello River."_

River's expression was blank as she replied, "What can I do for you?"

-

Mal, Badger and Kaylee had disembarked to meet with Warrick Harrow to discuss the delivery as well as collect their first payment.

"I can't wait to shake his hand." Kaylee said anxiously.

"Hand's just a hand poppet, and Harrow's ain't nothin' special." Badger replied.

"Jien ta duh guay! The man who's payin' to fix my ship…" Mal cut her off, "…now she's yer ship?! Seems I recall payin' handsomely fer Serenity. First River claims her as'er own, now you too?"

"You don't talk to'er like I do. I know what she likes, I know what she needs." Kaylee replied.

"She's right Mal. No man knows what a woman really wants or needs. Only people that know that are other women."

Kaylee smiled wide and patted Badger on the back, "See cap'n, Badger understands."

"Well thank goodness fer that. Can we get a move on please?"

They soon came to Harrow's home and again Mal rang the bell at Harrow's gate.

"_Mal, it's good to see you again."_ Harrow said over the security system.

Mal looked up at the security camera and waved, "Good to see you too Sir Harrow."

"_I take it you've come for your first payment?"_

"Indeed we have. I also brought a member of my crew that'd like to meet you."

"_Splendid, please come in."_

The gates opened and the trio entered Harrow's compound.

As Kaylee approached the entrance of Harrow's home, she couldn't help but be amazed at the scale of it.

"Cap'n do you see the…" Mal cut her off, "Yes."

"And the…" Again he cut her off, "I see that too."

Harrow opened the door to his home wearing a wide smile.

"You seem awfully pleased for a man who's about to be parting with more than a handful'a of money." Mal said as he shook Harrow's hand.

As they entered Harrow's home, he continued their conversation; "It's a good day Mal. You might remember I mentioned that business was slow."

"You mentioned it."

The trio sat opposite Harrow and again he continued, "Well not anymore. I've secured a deal to keep myself busy for the next few months, as well as put a decent amount of money in my pocket."

"I think that might be a good thing because my mechanic here might just put you in the poor house."

Kaylee smiled and Mal finally remembered his manners, "Forgive me Sir Harrow, this is my mechanic Kaywinnit Lee Frye."

Harrow sat in shock for a moment; "This beautiful creature is your mechanic Mal?"

She blushed and Mal replied with a smile, "Indeed she is."

"You can call me Kaylee." she said as she extended her hand which Harrow graciously accepted, offering it a kiss making her blush even further.

"Ms. Serra, Ms. Frye, how many other beautiful and talented women do you have on that boat of yours?"

"Two. Oh and by the way, did you hear that Kaylee? That boat of _mine_." Mal replied as he pointed to himself.

"By the way, did you hear that cap'n? _Talented_." Kaylee replied also pointing to herself.

Harrow and Badger chuckled at their argument and Harrow finally got serious, "We should probably get down to business."


	7. Chapter 7

Mal and Badger returned to Serenity an hour later. They proceeded up to the galley to the odd sight of River, Zoe, Inara, Simon and Jayne seated at the table looking very serious and apparently waiting for the captain.

Badger saw that this was a family matter, "I'll uh…I'll be in my bunk."

After Badger left the galley, Mal failed to filter his thought; "Well this does not look promising."

"Kaylee with you?" Zoe asked.

"She's outside talkin' to the dock manager 'bout some parts." Mal replied.

"Good."

"Why is that good?" Mal asked.

"The operative; Daniel, he waved us while you were gone." River replied.

Mal now understood the lack of smiles among his crew and asked, "What'd he want?"

"He said he appreciated our hospitality." Simon replied for his sister.

"Hospitality? Somebody leaves me chained in a hold getting berated by a crew every few hours; I best not see them ever again."

"I agree. Still, he asked if there might be a place for him here." River replied.

"Y'all have already had this discussion I take it?"

"Not so much a discussion as we all just said no." Jayne replied.

"Good then, I vote no too." Mal replied with a smile.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief in knowing they would hopefully never see him again.

River stood to head to the bridge, "I'll give him our answer."

River continued through to the bridge and Mal turned to head down to the passenger compartment to retrieve Badger, but when he arrived at his bunk, he found his cook tying off a satchel full of his things.

"Badge?"

Badger smiled slightly, "Persephone's always been the right place for me Mal. What happened here, what happened to me and mine, it's the chance you take makin' a life for yourself in such a place."

Mal smiled. He knew nothing he would say would sway his decision one way or the other, "It was good to have you."

"It was good to be here. I appreciate all you've done for me. You'll always be first in line when work comes 'round."

Badger and Mal shared a handshake and Badger flipped the light off in his bunk. As Mal followed him through the hold, he stopped in his tracks as River had jumped in his thoughts, _"Take care."_

Noticing he had stopped, Mal asked, "You alright?"

Badger turned to Mal and tapped as his temple as he looked around the hold, "River. She's everywhere isn't she?"

"Yes she is." Mal replied.

Badger stepped off Serenity as Kaylee was walking towards the ship. She saw him carrying his things and immediately asked with concern, "Everything alright?"

"Time to go is all." Badger replied.

Kaylee gave him a warm smile and a half-a hug as her other arm was wrapped around several parts, "It was nice to have you on board. I'm gonna miss havin' real food."

Badger laughed as they pulled away from each other, "Galley's stocked, probably have enough for 5 days worth of real meals, all you need is someone to cook it."

"Take care of yourself." Kaylee replied with a smile.

"You too poppet."

Badger waved back to Mal and just like that, their crew was 7 once again.

-

Kaylee came up to the engine room a few moments later to find Simon had cleared space on her workbench for her. As she crossed into the engine room, Simon took the parts she was carrying from her and placed them on her bench.

"Awe isn't that sweet." Kaylee said with a smile.

"I thought it would be nice." Simon replied as he gave her a kiss, "Anything else?"

"A few more things with the dock manager, gimme a hand?"

"Dahng ran."

They descended back to the hold as Mal came onto the bridge. He found River prepping the ship for take-off.

"It's done." She answered.

"And how do you feel about that?"

"That it was for the best. Too much pain for all of us with him here."

"My thoughts exactly." Mal took a seat opposite River and asked, "So where're we off to, to enjoy our new found wealth?"

"Simon?" River asked with an inquisitive stare.

"We're goin' to Simon?" Mal asked confused.

"No…" River's face paled as it had only when she witnessed her brother being shot, "…Simon, no…"

She jumped from her seat and Mal immediately knew something was very wrong.

In the galley, Jayne and Zoe were preparing a bit of a snack. As Mal chased River through the galley a gunshot rang out bringing Jayne and Zoe to drop what they were doing and follow as well. As they all came to the hold, they were greeted by the sight of a restrained Simon and Kaylee being taken away by Alliance officers out in the docks.

Just as River was about to set foot on Persephone, Jayne grabbed her by the waist, picking her up and turning her away from any prying eyes.

Struggling to fight him off, she shouted, "They've got them! Let me go!"

"You're no good to'em dead! Alliance sees you after the trouble you caused they'll just shoot you." Jayne replied as he struggled to keep River still.

"I'll live." River barked back.

"And maybe they'll kill the both of them." Zoe replied.

River knew Zoe was right and finally stopped struggling as her tears overcame her. Her mouth fell open as she crashed onto her knees. She turned to see her brother and her friend corralled into a small ship.

Using every ounce of self-control she had left, she reached out to Simon and Kaylee, _"I'm going to get you back."_

Within seconds, the ship made a hasty lift-off and just like that, Simon and Kaylee were gone. Mal reached over and closed the bay doors while River got to her feet and ran to the bridge.

"Mal?" Inara asked from the catwalk breaking the silence.

"Stay here, clear your heads and wait for me." Mal replied.

"Permission to speak freely sir?" Zoe asked.

"Granted." Mal replied as he reached the door to the common area.

"Walking on eggshells to keep her from going off, it's becoming a stale routine."

"Zoe…" It was a rare occurrence for his first mate to cut him off, "This ship is yours captain, you might want to make that known to her."

"Right now all she knows is the person responsible for savin' her life was just taken by the people he saved'er from. If Wash was out there gettin' carted off, we wouldn't be havin' this discussion."

Mal continued up to the bridge. River was at the helm and the screen in front of her displayed the face of the man they had been discussing earlier.

"_Your brother and Mrs. Frye were taken?"_ Daniel asked.

"By Alliance officers, do you know any way we could track them?" River replied.

"_No need. Dortmunder is the only Alliance vessel that patrols that zone. If they were taken to a ship, that's the one."_

"Thank you."

River flicked a switch turning the screen off and Mal quickly tried to get her attention, "River?"

She turned in place and replied, "I'm going for them and I'm going alone."

"And what're you gonna do when you get there? Take down the whole gorram ship?"

"Crossed my mind."

"I'm sure it did, but did you stop and think that maybe that wasn't the best idea?"

"No." River replied simply with not the least hint of doubt in her voice.

"We'll find another way to get'em back…" River laughed out loud interrupting and unsettling him.

"What?" Mal asked.

"I can hear you clear as day captain." River replied knowing full fell that the captain had no immediate solution.

"River…" As Mal attempted to reason with her one last time, she stood and before he could even attempt to react, she struck a pressure point causing his knees to give. She caught him best she could and carefully laid him down.

"I'm sorry for this. You will be fine in a few minutes." Tears ran down her cheeks and she continued, "I will return with Simon and Kaylee or I will not return at all."

Mal lie motionless save for his eyes which followed her as she leaned down to kiss his cheek, "Goodbye."

River descended to the catwalks and as she came into the hold she called to Jayne, Zoe and Inara, "The captain needs the three of you on the bridge mah-shong."

"What about you?" Inara asked.

"I'll be right there." River replied.

As they ran to the bridge, River slipped into the spare shuttle and sealed the airlock behind her.

Coming onto the bridge, Jayne, Zoe and Inara found Mal just getting to his feet.

"Sir?!" Zoe asked as she helped him up.

"Lock down the spare shuttle!" Mal ordered.

As Zoe reached to hit the switch its illumination vanished and the ship shook slightly as the shuttle disengaged.

"Sir?" Zoe asked again.

"Nee ta ma duh. Tyen-shia soy ya duh ren. Doh goy swa!" Mal shouted.

"What's goin' on'?" Jayne asked.

"River might'a found out where they took Simon and Kaylee and she's goin' after'em."

"Where's that?"

"Dortmunder."

"She's going to board an Alliance ship?!" Inara asked in shock at River's plan.

"You think she's going to try and trade herself for them?" Zoe asked curiously.

"I wouldn't put selflessness past'er but I'm thinkin' this ain't a negotiation. Said she'd be coming back with'em or she wouldn't be coming back at all."


	8. Chapter 8

The spare shuttle broke atmo within minutes and immediately the mammoth Alliance vessel came into view.

"Alliance cruiser Dortmunder this is shuttle FCS2 requesting permission for docking."

"_Standby for docking orders FCS2."_ An Alliance officer replied.

River put the comm back in place and kept the shuttle on target.

-

On Serenity, the remaining crew watched as the shuttle slowly closed in on the Dortmunder via one of the navigation screens.

"So what are we doin'? We just gonna wait?" Jayne asked impatiently.

"By now they know that's a shuttle off a Firefly. We go out there they're gonna think somethin's a miss. I don't see much else we _can_ do but wait." Mal replied.

"How will we know if she was successful or not?" Inara asked.

"Tyen-tsai she is, I've come to notice subtlety ain't exactly her strong point…" Zoe turned to face Inara and continued, "Something tells me we'll know."

On the screen, the shuttle connected with the vessel.

Mal sighed, "She's docked. They'll be boardin'er in a minute. I sure'is hell hope she knows what she's doin'."

On another screen on Serenity's bridge, River appeared wearing a bit of a smile, "Hello."

Mal was angry with her, but at the same time, happy to see her still safe, "River…"

"They're coming to board me as we speak. I know that I'm troublesome and that I more often hinder than help. I just wanted to say goodbye and thank you all for the kindness you've shown me. I'm telling you this because if you do not hear from me within the hour, it means I'm either dead or that I'm going for a ride."

"River…" Mal attempted to reason with her and she cut him off, albeit smiling, "Goodbye Mal."

The screen went blank and the crew stood stunned, perhaps feeling just a hint of shame.

-

The door to the shuttle slipped open revealing multiple armed Alliance soldiers. She stood directly in their view and before an order could be shouted at her, they all flew back in a ripple of telekinesis, several of them dropping their weapons as they were pushed back.

She gracefully emerged from the shuttle and picked up a pair of Alliance issue stun guns. Seconds later, several of the soldiers had gotten to their feet only to be knocked back again by their own weapons. She continued through the corridor, reading all of the men around her, establishing a layout of the massive ship.

-

In another part of the ship, Simon and Kaylee were just being placed in a holding cell to be dealt with at a later time.

"What do you think they're going to do with us?" Kaylee asked her bound fiancée.

"Considering we're of little use to them, I imagine they'll try to get River's location from us."

"Do you think she meant what she said? Do you think she'll come for us?"

"I don't know that she can. I can't imagine she would ask the captain to bring Serenity to an Alliance ship."

"There's the spare shuttle." Kaylee replied.

-

In the last of the corridors leading to Simon and Kaylee's cell, River's assault continued. As it would turn out, using her telekinetic abilities took a lot out of her causing her to tire physically. Even as capable as she was, she was not without injuries. Her lip was bleeding, as were both of her arms. Her knuckles were awash in blood, and her body was covered with welts and bruises.

In their cell, Simon and Kaylee heard the door to the holding area unlatch. They quickly scurried as far back in the cell as they could.

"Simon?" River called in an exhausted tone.

She came into their view in less than good condition, using the bars of the cell for leverage. Kaylee's eyes lit up at seeing her, "River?!"

Simon and Kaylee charged the bars and Simon asked, "River? Are you OK?"

Her humor with her brother ever present, she replied, "Do I look OK?"

She turned her eyes to the lock on the cell door. It wasn't a fancy electronic lock or anything of the sort; just a series of tumblers that fell into place with a couple of well-placed thoughts. The door slid open and she helped Simon and Kaylee out of their restraints.

River leaned up against the cell doors, near complete physical exhaustion, "There are some weapons outside. I can take us back to the ship, but I don't have much fight left."

Exiting the holding area, Kaylee picked up two stun weapons and turned her attention to Simon, "Help River, I'll try and keep the path clear."

"Kaylee…" She cut him off, "No discussion!"

Kaylee was surprisingly capable of using those stun guns. Albeit there were few if any Alliance soldiers in the area that were able to move, she still managed to keep the path clear with little drama before finally coming back to the docking area.

"Help her onto the shuttle." Kaylee ordered Simon as she stood before a wall-mounted screen and keypad.

"What about…" She cut him off, "I'll be right there ai-ren."

Kaylee flipped through a few screens only to find River had already made some "adjustments".

She smiled, talking quietly to herself as she made a few minor changes, "The girl is good."

Kaylee boarded the ship, passing Simon who was just strapping himself in beside his sister. She took the pilot's seat and with a few simple gestures, the ship broke-free of the Alliance Vessel.

-

Upon seeing the shuttle break free, Jayne called out, "Wuh de ma…"

Mal, Inara and Zoe rushed over and Jayne continued, "…she's loose."

As they watched the screen, the massive Alliance ship seemed to change color.

"What's that about?" Jayne asked.

"I don't know, seems like they'll be joinin' us rather quickly. Jayne, Zoe, make sure we're prepped for take off. Soon as that shuttle connects I want to be off-world."

"Aye sir." Zoe replied.

-

"Is she alright?" Kaylee asked Simon, of a now seemingly unconscious River.

Simon examined the parts of her he could see and replied, "She's taken quite a beating."

"There's so much blood on her."

"I'm sure not all of it is hers. More than half of these wounds appear to be defensive but I can't be sure of any physical trauma till we get her back on Serenity."

Having witnesses River clearly perform some form of voodoo in the holding area, Kaylee asked, "Simon, back there in the cell, how did she unlock that door?"

"Kaylee, I'm sorry, I should've told you."

"Told me what?"

"I don't know how, but River's developed telekinesis."

"Telekinesis? Like she can make things happen, like really happen with her brain?"

He looked at his injured sister and replied, "She can now."

As Mal had predicted, Kaylee wasn't quite sure how she felt about the never-ending puzzle that was River and her tone dictated it, "She's just full'a surprises ain't she?"

Simon heard the discomfort in her voice and attempted to subtly change the subject, "Did I tell you she might be in love?"

Kaylee giggled a bit, completely forgetting the minor discomfort she felt as she replied warmly, "Oh my god! That's great for her. Do you have any idea who with?"

"I can only imagine Mal."

"Cap'n?" Kaylee laughed out loud, "I suppose that makes sense. They spend so much time together."

-

The shuttle re-entered Persephone's atmosphere a few seconds later and Kaylee came through on the comm.

"Firefly-transport Serenity?" Kaylee asked excitedly.

Mal picked up the comm wearing a wide smile and replied, "That you Kaylee girl?"

"Shi, we're just comin' to the docks now."

"Simon and River with you?" Mal asked.

"They are. We're alright but River's seen better days."

Mal's face instantly fell flat, "She alright?"

Aboard the shuttle, River's eyes cracked open and she mouthed her response, "I'll be alright." as Kaylee spoke it, "She'll be alright."

Mal sighed once again, "Good…" Checking the nav screen, the shuttle was so close it was out of range, "…how far out are you?"

Just as he had completed his question, Serenity shook slightly as the shuttle docked. As planned, once the shuttle completed docking, Serenity lifted into the air and broke atmo just a few seconds later.

Mal immediately saw the Dortmunder from Serenity's helm and the question of why the vessel had changed color on their radar answered itself. The green glow that emanated from Alliance ships such as this was gone.

Kaylee came onto the bridge a few moments later. Hearing her footsteps Mal quickly turned to see who it was.

"Hey cap'n." Kaylee said with a bright smile.

She gave Mal a quick hug as the captain replied, "I don't think I've ever been this happy to see that infectious smile a'yers Kaylee girl."

She pointed to the Dortmunder sounding quite pleased with herself, "See what we did?"

"What _did_ you do?" Mal asked.

"Dumped their core. Ship has just enough power to make a distress call."

"So they'll…" Anticipating his question, Kaylee replied, "Oh they'll live, they just ain't goin' anywhere fast."

Mal smiled before asking the question that had been eating him up since she had radioed him, "How is she?"

Kaylee's smile flattened as she replied, "She's got a lot of blood on'er. Simon doesn't think it's all hers but she was barely walkin' when she found us."

"But the doc says she's gonna be OK, right?"

"Simon's the best doctor in the verse. Anyone can patch her up, he can."

Taking notice of Mal's reactions to hearing of River's condition, Kaylee had put something together and her smile once again manifested, "Wuh de ma…"

"What?" Mal asked.

"You love her too."


	9. Chapter 9

Mal stared at Kaylee blankly and she stared right back wearing quite the pleased smile. The captain had nothing to explain himself and he quickly began to choke on his words, "No…you see…" He kept struggling to justify himself, "It's not what you think…She…"

"It's okay cap'n." Kaylee said to try and quell his panic.

Mal laughed slightly, "It is so not okay. That girl is like a daughter to me…" Kaylee cut him off, "But she ain't yer daughter cap'n. She's a 19 year-old girl and she's finally comin' inta her own. Since you took her in she's practically a different person."

"Kaylee, I'm almost _twice_ her age."

"You're 13 years older than'er cap'n."

Mal's eyes widened, "Yeah, that's exactly what I'm tellin' you!"

"My father's 14 years older than my mother and she had me when she was 18. It ain't all that uncommon."

"But it's wrong."

"It's wrong when two people wanna be with each other?" Kaylee asked.

"It's wrong because she don't know any better. She's too young and definitely too damaged ta have any idea what she wants."

"She knows that you make her feel safe. That you care for her and won't let nothin' happen to'er.

"And that soon-ta-be husband a'yers, he figures us for bein' cozy what do you think he'll say?"

"He'd probly be glad that after all she's been through, his sister found someone she's happy with." Kaylee replied with a smile.

Finally Mal stood from his seat, completely prepared to exercise his authority, "Kaylee…" She stared at him knowing full well that her argument was more convincing and he finished his thought, "…we're done here."

He walked around her, through to the galley.

A few moments later, the captain quietly entered the infirmary to check on Simon and River, "You alright doc?"

"Better than River." Simon replied, the calm in his demeanor indicative that his sister wasn't in any serious danger, though that wouldn't stop Mal from again asking, "She gonna be alright?"

The young doctor smiled, "She's going to be fine."

Simon turned to collect some supplies from the counter behind him while Mal approached the table. He looked over River's bruised body, his blood boiling in his veins.

"They're mostly defensive." Simon stated as he approached the table.

"What?" Mal asked being woken from his rage.

"Her bruises. Very few of them were actually caused by someone striking her."

"How'd they even manage to get a hand on her?" Mal asked, "Biggest mess of Alliance shouldn't have caused her too much trouble."

Simon sighed, "My guess is she uses quite a bit more physical energy using telekinesis than she had planned for. She must have exhausted herself and this…" He carefully administered an injection, "…is the result."

"But she's going to be alright?" Mal asked once more.

"No broken bones, not even any broken nails. I did however give her something to keep her asleep for a while. The only thing that's going to give her, her strength back is time."

Mal smiled slightly, "I wager she might not be too fond of yer decision."

Simon chuckled, "I imagine she won't and after I talk to her about risking her life to save mine and Kaylee's, we can have that conversation."

"Fer what its worth, I tried ta stop'er; she knocked me out."

"I appreciate the effort captain. How did she know where to look for us by the way?" Simon asked.

"Operative. She waved him on Beaumonde. Said if you were taken from Persephone there was no doubt where you'd be taken." Mal replied.

Simon paused for a moment which brought Mal to inquire, "Doc?"

"She waved him on Beaumonde?"

"That's right." Mal replied he himself now looking a bit bothered by this simple fact, "What's on yer mind?"

"It just seems very convenient that River was able to get in touch with him so quickly, and that he knew exactly where to find us; don't you think?" Simon asked.

"_My thoughts exactly." _River replied in their thoughts.

Mal's eyes met the doctor's for a moment before Simon turned to face River's motionless body and asked aloud, "You can hear us?!"

"_Not so loud!"_ River shouted back.

"You really think he could've set this all up?" Mal asked.

"_Arranging for Simon and Kaylee to be taken, knowing I would absolutely go after them; it's a perfect plan. His intelligence allows Simon and Kaylee to be rescued, thereby ingratiating him with everyone, increasing his probability of being accepted among us."_

"So what? Do we hunt him down and try and find out the truth?" Simon asked.

"He found us once and if you two'er right that he planned all this and he get's nothing for it now, next time he'll just try harder. I'm thinkin' we go to him and have little River chat with him." Mal replied.

"_Agreed."_ River replied.

"I'm gonna set the course, you good here?" Mal asked.

Still in awe of his sister's extraordinary abilities, Simon replied, "Yeah. Yeah, I'm good."

As Mal passed by the engine room, he noticed Kaylee working with her back to him. He entered the room figuring now was as good a time as any for apologies, "I'm sorry."

She turned to face him looking somewhat displeased, "Sorry fer what?"

"You're right. Just looking at her bruised like she is; just the thought of someone layin' an unkind hand on that girl makes me want to kill someone."

"Cap'n…" He cut her off, "Know what the worst part of me havin' feelin's for that girl is? Knowin' how wrong it is and not carin'."

Kaylee remained speechless while Mal turned and headed off to the bridge.

Mal took a seat at the bridge and with a few keystrokes sent a wave to the operative and then set the course to Beaumonde. With the course set, he rested his head on the seat and was soon passed out.

-

An hour had passed when River's voice woke Mal up, _"Remember captain, he can't know we suspect him of anything."_

Startled by how real her voice had sounded in his thoughts, Mal jumped from his seat. Just a few seconds later, a chime emanated from the board in front of him and a screen displayed the operative's face, _"Captain Reynolds?"_

Mal blinked the sleep from his eyes and contrived a slight smile, "Yeah."

"_You called for me?"_ He asked.

"Know we ain't much of anything you and I. Truth is I _still_ wouldn't mind running you through just ta even things up between us. But, weren't fer you knowin' where my crew'd be taken, I don't know if we would have been able to get them back." Mal replied.

"_So little River went to Dortmunder then?"_

"Shi. Took a bit of a beating but she'll be fine. She wanted to thank you herself so I've set a course to Beaumonde. That alright with you?" Mal asked.

The operative smiled, _"Certainly. I wouldn't mind thanking her again myself."_

"We'll see you in about a day's time then." Mal replied.

"_Thank you Mal."_

The captain switched the screen off and his contrived smile fell flat. He sat back in his seat, his hands coming over his face as to what was he was going to do. He reached his hand up to the comm, clicked the switch and said quietly over the ship's intercom, "I want to see everyone in the Galley…now."


	10. Chapter 10

24 hours later, a drowsy River was mostly awake and once again in the pilot's seat, much to Simon and Mal's protest. The crew had collected on the bridge as they closed in on Beaumonde, each of them more nervous than the next.

"Here we go." Mal said before turning to face his crew, "Zoe, Jayne, you join Inara in'er shuttle and keep quiet."

"Sir…" Mal cut his first mate off, "Clearly the two'a you are still keen on a bit of revenge. I don't blame you but we want to know what he's up to _before_ we deal with him, not after."

Zoe and Jayne nodded in understanding and Mal continued, "I'm going to meet him in the hold; Kaylee, Simon, you say yer piece to him and get to yer bunk. River, I'd like you to join us then. Worse comes to worse and he ain't got no plan, he still ain't welcome on this ship. River doesn't get anything off of him; he goes on his merry way. She sees anything else…"

"Then what sir?" Zoe asked interrupting him.

"Then the situation's gonna get a bit more interesting." Mal replied.

Serenity touched down a few moments later. Mal looked to Zoe, Jayne and Inara, "Go on, get goin'. I want to get this over with."

The trio walked off to Inara's shuttle leaving Mal, Simon, Kaylee and River on the bridge.

"Y'all good with the plan?" Mal asked.

"We'll be fine." Concerned that River might still not be in top form, Simon asked, "Are you sure you're up to this mei-mei?"

"I'll be fine Simon." River replied with a weak smile. She stood from her seat and in a seemingly unnecessary act, embraced her brother in a tight hug, "You always take care of me."

He returned the hug and replied awkwardly, "Yeah, that's what I'm here for."

River walked off towards the galley while Simon, Mal and Kaylee shared confused stares when Simon finally understood what she was doing; saying goodbye.

"Wait, no!" Simon shouted as he chased off after her, Mal and Kaylee quickly following.

They had made it to the entrance to the Galley just as the door slammed shut. Simon and Mal pulled on the door with all their strength though it didn't budge.

"Common room, come on!" Kaylee shouted as she backpedaled towards the stairs.

Upon entering the common area, the door to the hold had already been sealed off. The trio clumsily crashed into the door to see River had made her way to the control panel by the bay doors.

Mal reached out as hard as he could, screaming his thoughts, _"Gorrammit River what the hell are you doing?!"_

"_I need him to be alone captain. 4 brains are more difficult to sort through than 1."_ She replied.

"Dammit." Mal stated.

"What, did she say somethin' to ya?" Kaylee asked.

"Said she needs him alone. Too many brains to sort through." Mal replied.

"The hell with that, she'll kill him!" Simon shouted.

"To be honest, I'm struggling to care about that hun-dan's life." Mal replied coldly.

"Cap'n!" Kaylee shouted.

Mal sighed, watching on as the bay doors slowly opened. He had an idea and quickly struggled to squash it before could River glean it.

He turned to Kaylee, "Engine room."

She figured out his cryptic statement rather quickly, "Tools."

"We can get into the hold through the air ducts." Mal replied.

The three scurried off to get to work as quickly as possible. In the hold, the doors had finally opened all the way revealing the operative who was waiting for River with a close-lipped smile.

River returned the smile, wearing a genuinely kind expression herself.

"Hello River."

"Daniel." River replied sheepishly.

"Still a little odd hearing my own name."

"It'll get easier." River replied confidently.

-

Simon followed while Mal and Kaylee began to open up an access panel in the floor of the hallway leading to the bridge.

-

Daniel broke their brief silence, "River…"

"It's alright. I can hear you loud and clear." She replied.

-

Mal, Kaylee and Simon reached the primary air return in the hold and Kaylee quickly began disassembling the grate.

-

The operative swallowed a lump in his throat as a mere whisper of a thought ran through a dark corner in the back of his mind. Unfortunately, such a whisper might as well have been a written and signed confession, confirming her suspicions.

-

"Easy, easy!" Mal whispered allowing the grate to fall to the floor quietly.

They exited the duct and came up behind River who looked slightly away from Daniel for a moment; she knew they were no longer alone.

River's eyes were as empty as the vacuum of space as she locked them onto Daneil's, "Tell them."

The whisper's volume increased in intensity. Now guilt would weigh-in, increasing the thought he was putting into what he had done.

"Tell them what?" He replied innocently in a last ditch effort to absolve himself.

Without warning, the bay doors slammed shut bringing everyone in the room to flinch, save for River.

"River…" She cut him off without even laying a finger on him. His hands clasped his own throat and his feet were lifted several inches from the ground as she hung him with her thoughts.

"Tell them." River ordered once again.

"River…" Simon carefully tried to get through to his sister, though before he could finish his thought, Daniel spoke through his gasps for air, "I'm sorry."

His feet touched the ground though the upward pull on his throat remained, "I notified the local authorities on Persephone."

"What else?" River asked, tightening her hold on his neck.

"An Alliance officer was shot just outside your ship. I knew your brother would try to help him, allowing him to be spotted by the patrolling officers. I arranged for that man to die so Simon could be found."

"Why?" River asked, once again making it even more difficult for him to breathe.

He gasped for air and continued, "I knew you would come to me for help seeking out your brother and your friend. That I helped you find them; it might help me find a place with your crew."

Finally she relinquished her hold on him, allowing him to catch his breath.

Mal's anger was written all over his face as he spoke through his teeth, "You put two'a my crew in the hands of the Alliance. Sent another of my crew to fetch'em and you did it to try and make a home here?"

"Malcolm…" He attempted to plead with the captain only to be cut off by him, "Don't. Let's get something very clear right now. You're responsible for a whole mess'a bodies this world wasn't ready to say goodbye too. You will _never_ be welcome aboard this ship."

Daniel collected himself and turned to face the bay doors. Mal called out bringing him to turn back and face them, "I ever see you again, and I _will_ end you. Let'em go."

River stood motionless, merely staring at the man who had caused her and her family so much pain. She knew he would come after them again. Clearly he had channels he could go through to swing the cards in his favor of finding them again and perhaps next time, the mayhem he could cause would be enough. He would never stop unless his connection with them was severed altogether.

"River?" Mal asked.

Daniel's fingers lifted to his nose which slowly began to leak blood, followed by his ears, followed by his eyes. He choked out a spray of blood onto River's face though she didn't even blink.

"River don't!!" Simon shouted, but he was too late.

Kaylee's eyes widened and her hand covered her mouth as she observed his hemorrhaging body. A muffled snap echoed through the hold and instantly, all of his movement ceased. Blood now _poured_ from his nose, his hands fell to his sides and his lifeless body crumpled to the floor like a house of cards.

River slowly turned in place to face her family; Daniel's blood dripping down her cheeks. She had no words for what she had done and she simply walked past them towards her bunk, the door to the hold sliding open as she approached it.

Simon turned to a very shaken Kaylee and asked, "Are you alright?"

She had begun to well up and Mal quickly took her into his arms, "I got'er doc. Go tend to yer sister, make sure she ain't broken."

Simon rushed to River's bunk, his eyes briefly scanning the room until he locked on her. She was as he hadn't found her in months; sitting in the corner of her room, her knees pulled tight to her chest, mumbling incoherently.

He carefully approached her, "River?"

Her mumbles turned to cries; clearly she was in some form of pain. Her head fell to her knees and her hands crashed onto her ears as she shouted, "Make me sleep!"

"What?" Simon replied in quiet shock.

Now she was hysterical. She looked up to her brother, her face awash in blood and tears and screamed, "Please just make me sleep!"

Normally he might try and reason with her, but with a statement like that, after what she'd just done, he would take no chances, "Eta kooram nah smech."

River's eyelids collapsed and in seconds, she was as she wished to be.

* * *

_One more to go. Should have this done by the end of the week. If you've made it this far, I hope you're enjoying it :)_


	11. Chapter 11

Mal, Jayne and Zoe sat opposite Simon, Kaylee and Inara in the Galley. Mal leaned forward, folding his hands on the table, "I think we can all agree that little River's come a long way. She's lucid, she's keeping herself focused and she's been doing a great job. However, I think we'd also agree that if something flips the right switch, she ain't exactly in control."

Simon nodded and Mal continued, "I'm glad she was able to keep it together long enough ta have you put her down, but the fact that she asked you in the first place is a might unsettling. One day, she might not be in such a good way."

"I don't think she'd ever hurt any of us." Inara interjected quietly, "Her connection with all of us is as close to family as she'll ever know."

"And it ain't exactly like that guy didn't have it comin'. Truth is only thing I'm sorry for is that I wasn't there for it." Jayne commented.

"You shouldn't be. What she did ta him…" Kaylee caught herself, "I never wanted ta see nothin' like that happen ta no one, never mind knowin' it was River doin' it."

Simon put his hand on Kaylee's shoulder offering her a bit of comfort before he replied, "I don't know what to do. Her system is almost completely acclimated to all of the medications I would normally give her. At the rate she's learning the ins and outs of her own brain; it could only be a matter of time before she learns how to eliminate the safe word they embedded in her."

"Clearly she understands herself to be a risk or she wouldn'tve asked you to put her to sleep. You really think she'd do that?" Mal asked.

"I don't know. I can only imagine she's trying to rid herself of everything they put in her. She might somehow stumble across that one day as well." Simon squirmed a little in his seat, "Like you said, she's gotten much better but she is still unstable."

"Is it possible that in the process of trying to gain control, she's learning more of what they _did_ put in her, and now maybe the monster they were trying to create is coming to the surface?" Zoe asked.

"You mean she's becoming the assassin they intended her to be?" Zoe nodded and Simon continued, "I think her training is a constant but I don't think they would alter her state of mind to simply be a killer."

Zoe leaned forward and asked most condescendingly, "You willing to gamble all of our lives on that?"

Simon's silence was all the answer anyone needed.

"Think we could all use some rest." Mal stated, "We'll continue this conversation tomorrow _with_ the girl who's place on this ship we're discussing, present. She's big a part'a this crew as any of us; we owe it to her to let her speak her piece."

The crew fanned out for the night leaving Mal and Simon by themselves.

"Thanks." Simon said.

"Fer what?" Mal asked.

"For giving River a chance. I know she's troublesome, I just wish…" He collected himself, "…I just wish I knew how to fix her."

"We all know you do everything you can ta help'er."

Another silence, finally Simon said the one thought he didn't want to believe, "I think she might be right."

"Who?"

"Zoe. What if River is descending to a dark place?"

-

River's eyes cracked open in her bunk; Simon and Mal's conversation having woken her from her sleep.

--

Simon continued, "The way that she's been built, if something did set her off, none of us could do anything to stop her."

-

River's eyes began to leak tears.

--

"There's no telling what she might ultimately be capable of."

"I know." Mal replied, "Might surprise you but I spend more time thinkin' on this then you might've imagined."

"And what have you come up with?"

Mal smiled, "I care about her too much to ever consider giving up on'er…"

-

River smiled through her tears.

--

"…but what the Alliance did to'er; I'm not sure there'll ever be an absolute cure fer that."

-

River's body crumpled into a tight ball on her bed, her arms wrapping her legs as she quietly wept.

--

"Go ta sleep doc. We'll talk in the morning." Mal said comfortingly.

*

_River walked through the galley carrying a pan-full of scrambled eggs._

"_Eat up Hoban." She politely ordered as she dropped a small portion of the eggs onto the plate of a young child._

_Mal came into the galley moments later and greeted River, "And how is my lovely wife this morning?"_

_As she turned to greet him, her belly was nearly double in size._

"_Shiny, good morning ai-ren!" She replied with a wide smile._

_Mal knelt and gently put his hand on her belly, "How's the little one this morning?"_

"_Awake and kicking."_

_As he stood, Mal replied, "Must take after his mom."_

_He placed a delicate kiss on her lips and she replied with a devilish smile, "Her mom ai-ren."_

_Mal's eyes widened and he shouted, "We're havin' a little girl?!"_

_River's smile was immeasurable as they shared another kiss._

*

River's eyes snapped open in her bunk and she took a deep gasp for air. Her heart was racing, pounding harder and harder as she caught her breath. She struggled to calm herself and sat up looking through the darkness of her bunk. To her surprise, she found Mal seated at the end of her bed. She quickly put the situation together; because of the nature of the dream, she must have projected it to Mal.

Her breathing slowed and he finally addressed her, "I think we need to talk."

River retracted her body into an upright seated position and immediately she began to defend herself, "I'm sorry."

"You had a dream darlin', nothin' too wrong with that." Mal replied.

"I'm sorry because of what I dreamt." River replied.

"I don't think you had any control over that sweetheart."

She appeared nothing short of terrified; scared to death for what she felt, "I can fix it. I can fix what the Alliance did to me." Her words became louder, more laden with sadness and determination, "I can do it I know I can. I can wipe the slate clean; forget everything they did to me. Be a girl, be a wife, be a mother." Finally she began to cry once again, "I can do those things I promise I can!!"

"River…" Mal attempted to speak but she cut him off, "No! Don't tell me I'm going to be fine! Don't tell me I don't have anything to worry about! Everyone's afraid of me! I can hear them all thinking of the kindest ways to say they're sorry. 'Sorry little feng-le, it's time for you to go now'."

Mal leaned to her and pulled her face to his shoulder as she wept, her arms quickly wrapping around him as well, "You ain't crazy, and you _are_ going to be alright bao-bei, ya hear me? The doc's gonna help you, we're all gonna help you."

The two sat in each other's embrace for seconds, then minutes, then hours until they had fallen asleep.

-

The next morning, Mal lie in a contorted state of sleep on River's bed.

"River?" Simon knocked at the door bringing Mal to slowly come to when Simon proceeded to slowly slip the door open, "River are you…"

The sight of Mal passed out on River's bed brought about an expected reaction from Simon, "Oh, juh jen sh guh kwai luh duh jean jan..."

Mal became more conscious of his situation and Simon immediately charged the captain, his fists digging into Mal's collar "Where is she?!"

The captain quickly looked around the room realizing River was nowhere to be found. Puzzled to the point of not even finding anger at Simon's attack, Mal replied, "Wish I knew."

"Did you…" Mal cut Simon off from completing his obvious question, "Yeah, then I threw'er out the airlock and fell asleep in'er bed; gimme a little credit would'ya doc?"

Simon relinquished his grip on the captain and as he scanned her room, his eyes locked onto an envelope with his name on it, on her nightstand. He retrieved it and took a seat on the bed beside Mal.

This scenario was all too familiar to be coincidental, "It's River's handwriting."

He opened the envelope and proceeded to read it to himself, eventually lowering it as he absorbed its contents.

"Doc?" Mal asked.

-

Serenity's crew less their captain gathered in the galley while Simon read River's letter aloud.

"_Since my first days aboard this ship, I have been a burden on each of you. Many have died because of me and the longer I spend in your company, the greater the danger your lives are in. I am unstable, probably insane, and most importantly; a threat to all of you. I wish I could have accomplished more, done more to make myself better. I will miss you all, and I will miss Serenity; that is why I have taken a piece of her with me, to remind me of her. As compensation for the shuttle I've taken, the captain will find nearly all of my earnings totaling the amount of 10,000 platinum in his quarters."_

Simon continued to read aloud, "I know you will worry for me Simon. I want you to believe me when I tell you that I will be alright. Where I'm going, I can harm no one and no one can harm me. I can be safe, and I can get better. I can be the sister you remember, the sister you miss. Of all the things you've done for me, peace is the greatest gift I can give you in return. I love you brother, Goodbye."

Kaylee wrapped her arm around Simon in an attempt to offer him any hint of comfort. The impact of River's departure still hadn't fully sunk in for Simon.

Mal walked into the galley a few moments later looking very serious, and very upset, "It's there like she said."

"So, she's…" Inara began only to receive a telling look from Mal.

The captain looked out on his crew in confident, condescendence, "We can all rest easy now. River's gone."

"Sir, we didn't…" Zoe began only to be cut off by the captain in a most righteous tone, "Yes you did. We _all_ did. Can't ask a girl ta listen to people casting judgment on'er on a daily basis and expect her not to up and leave. We all thought she might be dangerous, now we don't have ta worry."

Shame permeated the air and Mal finally broke up their meeting, "'Bout yer business, we all got things need tendin' to."

As everyone proceeded to go their own way, Mal called out, "Doc?"

Mal motioned for Simon to join him. They walked towards the bridge and the captain closed the door behind them.

He raised another letter into view, "She also left this."

He handed the letter to Simon who again read aloud.

"_Captain, I can't begin to thank you for all that you've done for me. The life you offered my brother and I, accepting us onto your ship and your crew. The kindness you've shown me makes me want to get better, and for that kindness, I offer you this; I am going to earth-that-was. You may ask why I've chosen to tell you, and not my own brother. Simon is the greatest brother a girl could ask for. He cares more for me than I think any human might care for another. If I were to tell Simon where I was going, I've no doubt he would attempt to seek me out, to try to fix me. My wounds can't be healed with medicine; they can only be healed with time, and discipline. I know you will heed my wishes captain and that is why I've fallen in love with you. You respect me; treat me as a peer and not as the damaged little girl I know myself to be. Thank you, and goodbye."_

Simon lowered the letter at a loss for words.

"You alright doc?" Mal asked.

Simon searched for the right words, "I need to go."

"She said…" Simon cut him off, "Not after her, I need time to think, to process this. I need to be alone."

Mal nodded, "Take yer time."

Simon handed the letter back to Mal, slid the door to the bridge open and descended through to crew's quarters.

Serenity's captain took her helm and simply stared out into the black as his protégé so often had. His brain working overtime, thinking of all the moment's River had shared with everyone. All the things she'd done that had helped them throughout her time aboard Serenity, each more fantastic than the last. Finally, he stopped thinking of her as his pilot, or as his friend, but as the girl he was falling for; her smile, her mannerisms, the subtle idiosyncrasies that defined her, above all, her unshakable innocence in the midst of the cruelties that had fallen on her.

He glanced at the letter once more; delicately folding it on the creases she had made and slipped it into one of his pockets.

He flipped Serenity off auto-pilot, and quietly said in vague hope that River, wherever she was, might hear him, "I will miss you darlin'."

* * *

_And that is the end for this installment. I have a complete roadmap for a follow-up piece but seeing as how this one took me close to a year to complete, it will probably be a while before the next/final installment comes to be._

_Thanks to Atlus, Twisty, and Selene for offering me their comments, criticisms and most importantly; confidence._


End file.
